


Champagne and Honey

by eightbitbat



Category: Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Dancing, F/M, First Time, Jealousy, quite a bit about clothing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-07
Updated: 2014-12-07
Packaged: 2018-02-28 13:43:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2734748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eightbitbat/pseuds/eightbitbat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor had determined that they both needed some time off from saving universes and the like and had dialed them up the perfect mini-break: a grand Victorian ball.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Champagne and Honey

Charley was humming with excitement.  The Doctor had determined that they both needed some time off from saving universes and the like and had dialed them up the perfect mini-break: a grand Victorian ball.  It was autumn 1898, in the heart of London.  Charley peeked her head out the TARDIS’ door and smelled the cool, damp air, and took in the sight of the leaves changing on the trees. 

“Come, Charley, let’s go to the TARDIS’ wardrobe room and find you something special to wear.”  He took her hand and started leading her down one of the TARDIS’ many corridors. 

“The TARDIS has an entire room only for clothes?”  Charley had acquired many clothes on her travels with the Doctor, but nothing that would suit for a fancy ball.  She was glad that the TARDIS was as well-equipped with this as with everything else.

“Of course she does.  Here, this way…”  They turned a corner and a door opened before them.  Inside were racks and racks of clothes in hundreds of colors, everything from ancient times to High Gallifreyan.  The Doctor steered her towards a specific rack of dresses.  “I believe this is the correct style for this era.”  It contained many exquisite ball gowns in styles she had seen in photos and paintings from when her mother was young. 

She started flipping through the dresses.  “There are certainly a lot of ladies’ clothes here, Doctor.  Just how many women have you travelled with in the past?”

He looked up at her from a pile of shoes he was going through.  “Oh, enough, less probably than you think.” He held up a pair of slippers for her approval, and at her grimace, put them down and kept digging.  “Besides, the main reason the TARDIS keeps such a good stock in clothing is in case I need them.  There’s nothing stopping me from becoming a woman in one of my future regenerations.”

“Now that would be a sight indeed!  Oh, here, Doctor, I think I’ve found it.”  He came and peered over her shoulder at the gowns.  It was the perfect dress, Charley thought, exactly right for the sort of high-class function to which they were going.  It had a full skirt, a low neckline, and was made of heavy midnight blue velvet.  The edges were thick with black embroidery.  “What do you think?”

The Doctor stroked a finger down the velvet of the skirt.  “Quite lovely.  It will look most fetching on you.  Now, what else do you need?”

With the Doctor’s help, she was able to unearth appropriate shoes and petticoats for the dress, as well as other undergarments.  She thought her face might melt right off from blushing as he handed her the cream-colored silk steel-boned corset.  The awkwardness of the moment was helped by the endearingly baffled expression on his face.

“I still don’t understand why women wrap themselves up in these things.  Seems awfully confining.”

Charley ran her hand down the silk of the corset.  “Oh Doctor, really, do you think anyone actually comes in the shapes like that without a great deal of engineering helping out?”  A realization dawned on her.  She’d worn corsets now and then before, though they were rather out of fashion.  The problem was, every time she’d had help into them.  Here she was with one of the most beautiful ones she’d ever seen, and she had no help – no lady’s maid, no mother, no sisters.    

“What’s wrong?  Your face has gone all sad.  Is this not the right one?”

With a small sigh, she set the corset down on a nearby shelf.  “No, it’s exactly the right one, and that’s the problem.  There’s no way I can get into it without help.”

The Doctor frowned slightly.  “Do we need to look for a different one?  A different dress?”

“No…none of these dresses are designed to work without something like that underneath them, and even if I could find one, it wouldn’t be appropriate to wear to a ball like this.”  She turned away from him, hoping to keep her welling eyes from betraying her.  “Perhaps we shouldn’t go to this one, Doctor.  Maybe we should find something less complicated.  How about a nice soothing forest or something?”

“Charley, wait…” She felt his hand on her shoulder, gently turning her back around.  “If you truly don’t want to go, we can move on, but you were so excited…”  She still couldn’t meet his eyes.  He put his hand on her chin and tilted her head up until she met his gaze, dark with concern.  “Is this all about the corset?  I may not understand exactly why you wear them, but I can assuredly help you into it – just tell me what I need to do.”

Charley’s eyes widened and her cheeks heated at the Doctor’s suggestion.  A gentleman, helping her into her underthings!  _The Doctor_ , helping her into her underthings!  What would her mama say?  Still, the Doctor’s expression was so concerned and earnest that she couldn’t refuse.  “Oh, very well Doctor, but not a word of this to anyone – ever!”

He smiled and squeezed her shoulder, then busied himself with gathering their finds and taking them to her room.

 

* * *

 

She had sent the Doctor away with firm instructions not to bother her for at least an hour.  While he was gone, she bathed and saw to her makeup and hair.  She wouldn’t have hair nearly as styled as the other women likely would, but she thought she did a passable job on her own.  It was out of her face, at least. 

She had just finished pulling on the beautiful silk stockings when the Doctor knocked on her door.  Now she had to actually let him in to help her.  The thought brought heat to her cheeks again, and this time she could feel it spread down her neck, as well.  She was covered by the chemise, knickers, and stockings she wore, but they were all of such a fine silk that she felt like she was wearing nothing at all.

Moving to the side of the door, where she wouldn’t be immediately visible when it opened, she let the Doctor in.  “Come in, Doctor, but keep your eyes closed!”

Obediently, he closed his eyes and stepped slowly into her room.  “Very well, Charley, but I don’t see how I can help you with this if I can’t actually…you know…see.”

“Oh Doctor, you can open your eyes in a moment.  I just need to get into position.  At the moment it would be…indecent.”

He didn’t say anything, he just raised his eyebrows and stood there.  Charley made sure the door was shut (silly, as she knew it was only her and the Doctor on the TARDIS, but she still felt the need for the privacy) and grabbed up the corset.  She was able to get herself into it, but she couldn’t manage the laces.  She moved in front of the Doctor, her back to him.

“Alright.  I’m in place.  Open your eyes.”

There was silence for a second as the Doctor assessed the challenge.  “So…what exactly is it that I am doing with this?”

“Think of it…think of it like a boot.  Tug the laces tight and then tie them.”

“Oh, I see!  Though you don’t look much like a boot.  Now, if I just…there…and there…” Charley felt some gentle tugging on her back, “…and there!  Not so hard after all.”

Charley looked back over her shoulder at the Doctor with a smile.  “Doctor, that’s not nearly tight enough.  Like this, it will slide right off me in the middle of a dance!  You have to pull the laces tighter.  Put your back into it.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, Charley…”

“Oh, Doctor, you won’t.  I trust you.”

This time the tugging was less gentle, and she felt the corset taking shape around her properly.  The Doctor worked in silence this time, occasionally placing a hand on her hip to brace himself.  Charley thought his hand was far warmer than it typically was.  The third time it happened, the feeling of his hand, even through the thick material of the corset, sent shivers to her toes.

She felt his breath on the back of her neck as he tied the ends.  He placed his fingers lightly on her shoulder.  That slight touch on her bare skin was a hundred times as powerful as the hand on her hip had been.  She spun quickly, breaking the contact.  As the Doctor had been looking down to admire his handiwork with the laces, she was now presenting him with a very clear view of her chest, lifted and shaped by the corset, and the hand that had been on her shoulder was now hovering directly above.  It was the Doctor’s turn to blush as he inhaled sharply, fixing his eyes to the ceiling, arms stuck to his sides. 

He started to stammer something out, but she interrupted him.  “Thank you, Doctor.  I appreciate the help.  Would you please excuse me so that I may finish getting ready?  Though I may also require your help again in doing up the back of my dress.  Could you return shortly?”

He lowered his head enough to barely meet her eyes, nodded once, and fled the room.  Charley couldn’t help but giggle in his wake.

Getting into the rest of the ensemble was easy compared to what came before.  Stockings clipped into place, she added the two layers of petticoats, black dancing shoes, and finally the soft, heavy folds of the velvet dress. 

The Doctor returned in time to help her with the back of her dress.  This time when she opened her door, a new sight greeted her.  The Doctor had shed his standard frock coat and in its place was a tuxedo with a stiff white shirt and tails.  His white bow-tie was perfectly tied and his shoes perfectly shined.  His hair, thankfully, was still a delightfully floppy mess of curls. 

“Well Miss Pollard!  Aren’t you a sight?”  He gave her a small bow, which she returned with a small curtsy.

“And you, Doctor, clean up quite well.  Now please come here and help me with these hooks.”  These he did up quickly and without incident.  Charley went to take a quick look at the fit of the dress in the mirror, and was surprised when the Doctor followed her.

“Here, I thought this would look nice.”  He pulled a necklace out of his pocket, but she didn’t get a good look at it until he stood behind her to fasten it around her neck.  The chain was complex but incredibly delicate, and from it hung a beautifully faceted black gem.  “It’s a black diamond from Morok. Very rare and precious.”

“Oh, it’s so lovely.  Thank you, Doctor, it goes perfectly.” Charley went to put on her cloak, but the Doctor gently took it from her hands and put it on her.  She made sure she had her gloves and fan, and then accepted the Doctor’s proffered arm.  Playing so proper was endlessly amusing her. 

 

* * *

 

Balls like this were outside of Charley’s experience, but that had never stopped her before.  While the Doctor checked their outerwear, she spent a long moment taking in the fabulous decorations of the ballroom, the lavish spread of drinks and snacks, and finally the multitudes of elegantly attired attendees.  Both Charley and the Doctor had chosen their outfits well, as they blended in seamlessly.

Perhaps a little less seamlessly as Charley grabbed the Doctor’s hand and all but dragged him out onto the dance floor.  Upon reaching it, however, she hesitated.  Did the Doctor know how to dance?  He was many hundreds of years old, he must know how to waltz, right? 

Before she could even open her mouth to ask, he swept her into the current dance effortlessly, one hand grasping hers, the other perfectly placed on her waist.  It had been some time since Charley had last danced, so she was grateful that he provided such a strong lead.

They danced a half-dozen dances, and while Charley knew they chatted the entire time, she would have been hard pressed later to recall what they’d discussed.  She was completely caught up in the music and atmosphere of the ball, but especially in the Doctor’s charisma, which was on display in full force.  It was as if the world had been reduced to purely the Doctor: his eyes sparkling, his lips smiling, his hand on her waist. 

When they finally did stop to rest for a bit, Charley was flushed and happier than she had been in a long time.  The Doctor caged some Champagne off a waiter to revive her.  The drink was sweet and the bubbles went to her head as they stood and sipped it. 

They danced a few more dances and took another break. The Doctor left her near a set of French doors overlooking a beautiful garden as he went to go fetch more Champagne.  Charley looked at the garden.  And waited.  And looked at the garden some more.  And waited.  There was only so long one could stare at a garden through a glass door at night.  _Where is the Doctor?_   It had been at least a half hour since he’d left her, there shouldn’t be any reason getting drinks from a roving waiter would take him this long.  Charley was starting to worry that he had gotten lost, in some way that only he’d be capable of, or perhaps he had gotten wrapped up in someone else’s problems, as he was so good at doing.  Even though this was supposed to be their holiday from that sort of thing.

Charley was about to go looking for him when a young gentleman approached her.  He looked to be around her age, maybe slightly older.  He was tall and handsome, though in a different way than the Doctor.  His tuxedo was perfectly tailored black velvet, and his dark hair was long and held back by a black velvet ribbon. 

“Forgive the intrusion, miss.  I know we are not acquainted, but you did look rather lonely, and one so lovely should never be alone.”  He gave her a bow.  “I am Benjamin Foster.”

She curtsied in return.  “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Foster.  My name is Charlotte…” She mentally groped around for a name that wasn’t her own, as they were awfully close to where her parents would be in this time.  “…Smith.”  _Now where did that come from?_

“Charmed, Miss Smith. Would it be terribly impertinent to beg the honor of the next dance?”  His rich brown eyes sparkled in the bright lights of the ball room.

“Mr. Foster, it is incredibly impertinent, and I would be delighted.”  He grinned and took her gloved hand in one of his own and swept them off to the dance floor.  Charley meant to keep an eye out for the Doctor, but Mr. Foster proved to be incredibly diverting.

One dance became four, blending into one another before Charley had quite realized how much time had passed.  She spotted the Doctor, standing near the French doors from before.  She guided Mr. Foster around the edge of the dancers until they reached him.

“Doctor!  There you are.  I was wondering where you’d gotten off to.  Did you ever track down that Champagne?  This is Mr. Benjamin Foster.  Mr. Foster, this is the Doctor.”

The Doctor looked less than pleased.  He took Mr. Foster’s outstretched hand and gave it the barest of shakes.  “I returned and you were gone, Charley, and you looked otherwise occupied.  The waiter took it away.  Mr. Foster, pleasure.  Now if you’ll excuse us, shall we dance?”  He held out a hand expectantly.

Charley opened and closed her mouth several times.  The Doctor was rude at times, but this was such a departure from his earlier behavior that it left her quite speechless.  She glanced at Mr. Foster, who looked mildly shocked but quickly covered it up with excellent manners.

“Go ahead, Miss Smith.  I will wait here for you, if you’d like.”

Charley nodded gratefully and let the Doctor lead her back to the dance floor.  Now their dancing was stiff and awkward, all of their earlier grace gone.  The Doctor’s hand was ginger on her waist and he moved her around perfunctorily, not meeting her eyes.

“Doctor, why did you bring me back out here if you don’t want to dance with me?”

“What on earth would give you that idea, Charley?”

“Because it rather feels like I’m dancing with a lamppost.”

The Doctor’s frown deepened.  “Rather be dancing with your Mr. Foster, then?”

“He’s not my Mr. anything, but yes, since he actually _wants_ to dance with me.”

“Hm, and I’ll wager much more than that, too.”

She couldn’t help the deep sigh that escaped her lips.  “Doctor, you left me alone.  You can’t blame me for finding other entertainment while you were gone.”  If anything, that made the Doctor scowl harder, and they said nothing else for the remainder of the dance.  When the song ended, he walked her back to Mr. Foster, who was waiting with Champagne.

“Why thank you, Mr. Foster!  I was quite parched from all that dancing.”  As she drank, Mr. Foster made several attempts at polite conversation, but the Doctor remained all silence and frosty stares.  Irritated, Charley downed the rest of her drink and dragged Mr. Foster back out to the dance floor.

She could feel the Doctor’s eyes on them as they moved across the dance floor.  She was starting to feel a little lightheaded from the alcohol, and that combined with the Doctor’s strange behavior made her weary.

“So, Miss Smith, the Doctor…he’s your…?”

“He’s my…” She sighed and shook her head.  “It’s complicated, so very complicated that I don’t know if I can explain it, or if I even understand it.  We travel together.  He’s my friend, but that’s such a limited term for it, and at the moment, he seems to exist simply to aggravate me.”

“He doesn’t seem like the most pleasant of people.”

“Oh, he is, usually.”  Mr. Foster spun her and over his shoulder she could see the Doctor, glaring at them.  “He’s often pleasant, and always brilliant, and I know he’s always there for me.  There is honestly no one I’d rather have at my side in a pinch, and believe me, we’ve been in quite a few of them.”

“Ah…I see…” He gave her a somewhat wistful smile and lapsed into contemplative silence.  Charley was a little frustrated.  What was it with the men tonight?

When the song ended, Mr. Foster returned with her to the Doctor.  Ignoring his stony expression, Charley reached out and grabbed his hand.  “Come, Doctor.  This is the last dance, and I would have it with you, if that is acceptable?”  His face softened somewhat and he allowed himself to be led to the dance floor.

“Doctor, I really don’t know what has gotten into you tonight.  We were having such a grand time earlier.”

“What do you see in him?”

“In who?”

“Mr. Foster.  Mr. Fancy Dancer.  Mr. Hands, from what I could see.”

“Mr. Hands??”

“All over you, they were.”

“No more than…” Understanding dawned on Charley.  “…yours.  Doctor, are you…jealous?”

“What!  No!  Yes.  No!  I don’t know.”

“What have you to be jealous of?”

He frowned down at her, but it wasn’t the stony frown from before.  Now it was more confused than anything.

“Charley, the way you looked at him….and his hands were on you…”

“Doctor.  I am here with _you_.  Mr. Foster is a nice young man, but I’m not interested in him for anything other than dancing.”

“Truly?”  He closed his eyes and shook his head and the tension went out of his shoulders.  “I feel like an idiot. I just…this night…you look so beautiful, and seeing you out there with him…”

“Oh Doctor,” she said softly.  She moved her hand from his shoulder to the side of his face.  He turned and pressed his lips into her palm.  The feeling of his lips through the fine material of her gloves made her shiver.

Far too soon, the song was over and the guests began to leave.  They headed to the coat check to retrieve their outerwear.  Mr. Foster caught up with them as the Doctor was draping Charley’s wool cloak over her shoulders.

“Miss Smith, I do hope this isn’t the last I’ll see of you.  I do so hope to continue our acquaintance.”

“Mr. Foster, you are too kind, but we aren’t from here.  We were just passing through.”  She tried saying it gently as possible.

He gave her a wide smile anyway.  “Well, should you ever tire of…travelling…”  He took out a small card and folded her hand around it, which he then bowed over.  “You’ll know where to find me.  Doctor, good evening.”  With that, he was gone.

The Doctor wrinkled his nose once the other man was out of earshot.  “As if she’d want to find you again, Mr. Dreary Conversation.”

Charley sighed and took the Doctor’s arm.  “Oh Doctor, do shut up and take me home.”

 

* * *

 

 

They walked back to the TARDIS in silence.  It was a comfortable silence, however, and Charley appreciated the chance to reflect on the ball and let the still beauty of the night soak through her.  It was all so beautiful, the cool air, the falling leaves, the warmth of the Doctor’s arm in hers.

Once inside the TARDIS, the Doctor went right to the console and started fiddling with switches as he pulled off his gloves.  Everything was back to normal…or was it?  Back there on the dance floor, she felt like something had shifted between them.  How far had it shifted?  She removed her cloak and gloves and set them aside. 

“Well, Charley!  Where to next?”  He wasn’t looking at her as she approached.  “Mars?  The belt of Orion?  Betelgeuse Five?”

“Doctor, before that, I was wondering…”

He looked over his shoulder at her, now standing next to him.  “Yes Charley?”

She could feel her cheeks heating, but she pressed on anyway.  She touched the back of his hand with her barest fingertips.  “You did such an excellent job helping me into this get up.  Do you think you’d be as good at…getting me out of it?”

He looked at her for a long moment, and she was nearly ready to laugh off her offer and return to her room to die of embarrassment.  He moved his hand out from under her fingers and turned towards her.  Slowly, very slowly, he raised his hand and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.  He trailed his thumb down the side of her cheek, letting his hand come to rest on her shoulder.  He frowned slightly and his eyes flicked down to her lips, then back up to meet hers again.  The air between them had taken on a thick, tense quality. 

Without warning, he was crushing his mouth to hers, and a wave of relief flooded through her as she melted into his kiss.  She felt one of his hands on the small of her back, pulling her close.  She ran her hands up his chest and around his neck.  The Doctor’s mouth was hot on hers, and her lips parted underneath him.  He tasted sweet, like honey and the best champagne.  His free hand went into her hair, tilting her head to just the right angle.  Charley was pressed so tightly against him that she could feel his hearts thudding in his chest, echoing her own. 

The Doctor was not the first man she had kissed, not even the first man she had kissed passionately, but this…this was different.  Never had she felt so consumed, or so consuming.  His lips were firm, and his kisses were demanding yet languid, as if he had all the time in the world to explore her mouth.

He moved his lips from her mouth to her jaw, then to her ear.  He kissed his way in a trail of fire down her neck and to the exposed tops of her breasts.  Charley’s back arched under his touch, which she felt all the way to her toes, and she clutched him to her tighter.  She inhaled sharply as his lips grazed softly over her skin. 

“Oh, Doctor…oh!  Doctor!  Wait!”

“Hmm?” He raised his head up and moved his mouth near hers again.  She couldn’t help but to press up into it, and for a moment was again lost in the sensations that threatened to overwhelm her.  A lack of air brought her mind back to the urgent matter at hand.

“Doctor!” she said, firmly pulling her head back from his.  He looked instantly apologetic and started to separate himself from her, but she kept her arms firmly entwined behind his neck.  “No, Doctor, this is lovely, it truly is.  The problem is this dress!  I’m laced so tightly in that I’m afraid I may faint on you and…” Her voice dropped as she softly said, “that’s not at all how I want to spend this evening.”

The Doctor smiled and ran a hand down her side.  “You scared me for a moment there, Charley.  Now, wouldn’t this all have been easier had I not pulled those laces so tightly?”

She raised an eyebrow at him.  “Doctor, had my dress fallen off at the ball, I doubt I would be speaking to you right now, much less allowing you to put your hands where they currently are.”

He chuckled and pulled her a little closer to him.  “Fair point.  By all means, let us get you more comfortable.  Lead the way!”

She turned and took a step and was instantly glad that the Doctor still had an arm around her waist, as her knees went all wobbly on her.  He caught her and smiled, but the warning looking in her eyes kept his laughter very quiet indeed.  He kept his arm around her as they made their way to her room.

She was worried that relocating would break the tension between them and the moment would pass, but the Doctor’s arm around her was anything but casual.  Once in her room, he moved behind her and undid the clasp on her necklace.  She could feel his breath on her neck again, but this time it was rougher, less controlled.  His fingers caressed her neck as he slide the chain off her and set it aside.  Next it was his lips on the nape of her neck as he undid the fastenings on the dress. 

As she felt the last one give, she turned around to face him.  His eyes were locked on hers as he slowly slid the blue velvet off her body into a puddle at her feet, petticoats and all.  He gave her his hand to help her step out of the pile of fabric, but as she did her foot caught and she ended up falling forward into his arms. 

In a heartbeat they were kissing again, and this time it felt far more intimate owing to the state of her undress.  The Doctor ran his hands up and down over the heavy silk of her corset and the lighter silk of her undergarments, and his touch was like fire. 

Charley pulled back a little, panting.  They still hadn’t gotten the corset off, but she was managing.  “Doctor, this is starting to feel a bit unfair…”  She ran her hands up his chest and pushed the jacket off his shoulders.  He started to tug it off and quickly became stuck in the sleeves.  Charley knew she should help him, but all she could do was laugh and hold his face in her hands and kiss him while he was helpless.

She unknotted his silk tie and worked at the buttons on his shirt.  Once he managed to free himself from his jacket, he helped her with them, and then there was nothing between Charley’s hands and the smooth skin of his chest. 

He all but tore the shirt off his arms, then wrapped them around her.  He kissed her, and again the intimacy increased, as she could now feel his bare skin on hers, his firm muscles wrapped around her back.  He kissed her until her head was swimming again, and again his lips explored the skin of her jawline, her neck, and her chest.  Charley couldn’t help the shallow gasp of pleasure that escaped her lips.

He raised his head with a smile and used his hands on her hips to slowly turned her around, pulling her back into his bare chest.  He returned his mouth to her neck, lips tracing her pulse as his hands moved up and down her body.  She could feel him, his hardness, pressing into her back.  “Oh, Doctor…” she sighed as he caressed her thighs and unclipped the suspenders on her stockings.  He brought his hands to her back to work on her laces, and she tried to catch her breath and not feel the loss of his touch quite so keenly.

As the Doctor loosened the laces, she felt blood rushing back to all her constricted bits, so much so that she became lightheaded and she sagged backwards against the Doctor for support.

“Charley!  Are you alright?”

She looked back up over her shoulder at him.  “Oh yes Doctor, quite well, and you?”

Instead of answering her, he worked a free hand in between them, loosening the rest of the laces.  He gently lifted her arms up and pushed the garment down until she could kick her way free.  Once it was gone, she let herself sag against the Doctor again.  He took advantage of this and held her against his chest, running his hands over every inch of her body that had been covered by the corset.  Charley closed her eyes and didn’t even try to contain the low moan that seemed to come from deep inside. 

His mouth was on her neck again, and all of her attention was there with it, until she felt his hands sliding up her stomach, peeling up the now sweat-damp silk chemise.  He leaned back just far enough so he could pull it up over her head before pulling her back towards him.  Part of her felt horribly exposed, but the fact that the Doctor was behind her, not looking directly at her, helped.  She could feel his breath rough on her neck as he ghosted his lips up to her ear. 

With one arm he was practically supporting her, which she needed as his free hand returned to caress her thigh.  His fingers teased gently at the edge of her stocking, sliding a fingertip just underneath the edge to stroke the skin beneath.  Never would she have thought such a small gesture so intense, so passionate, but it was like all of the nerves in her body existed underneath the Doctor’s fingertips.  Every inch he moved them up her thigh felt like a mile, and she felt herself holding her breath, waiting for him to touch her just so…

Instead he moved his hand up to her waist, and she could hear his soft chuckle in her ear at her low growl of frustration.  He kept it moving upward, until it cupped her breast, his thumb brushing back and forth across the nipple until she was panting for breath.  Without giving her any respite, he slowly slid his hand down again, and this time he moved his fingers beneath her silk knickers.  Slowly, ever so slowly, it was a delightful agony, and Charley shuddered and moaned when his fingers reached their target between her thighs.

His touch was gentle but it sent sparks through her body.  He stroked her, back and forth and the perfect amount of pressure, and she moaned out a very breathy “Doctor…”  She turned her head and he kissed her, and all the while he worked his fingers.  He was maneuvering her backwards, towards her bed, where he sat down on the edge and pulled her down into his lap.  Charley could feel his hardness even more from this angle, pressing into the soft flesh of her backside.  With her settled against his chest, he moved the arm that had been holding her up down to her knee, using it to spread her legs apart gently, giving his other hand better access to her.  It slid further between her thighs, down into the slick folds of her.  She was briefly shocked when he pressed a finger inside her, but it passed quickly as his hand kept moving. 

Her breath had increased at a shocking rate and she felt the tension rising in her when he removed his hand.  Charley whimpered out “Doctor?”

“Shh, Charley,” he breathed into her ear, “don’t worry, we’re only getting started here.”  He moved her off his lap and onto the bed.  He leaned over her from the end of the bed and looked at her, looked at her like he was going to devour her.  He trailed his fingers across her breasts and down her sides until they were at the waist of her knickers.  He tugged them down her legs and off.  Now she lay before him, bare except her stockings, and oddly she was still wearing her dancing shoes.  He knelt at the front edge of the bed, pausing again to let his eyes roam up and down her body, before removing each shoe and stocking in turn.  Again she was struck by how exciting such mundane actions could be, but laying there before him, legs parted, as he rolled each stocking down, kissing thigh and knee and ankle as he went, was just as erotic as having his hand between her legs moments before.  Once removed, quite to her amazement, he shifted her legs even further apart and dropped his head down between them.

Charley’s back arched as his lips and tongue made contact.  She was vaguely aware that she was moaning again, and panting, and had sunk one of her hands into his sweat-damp curly hair, the other hand clutched at the sheets.  He licked and caressed her in ways she didn’t even know were possible.  His finger entered her again, then a second, gently but firmly pushing inside her.  He moved them in her, and she grew more comfortable with the sensation.  Soon she was rocking beneath him, her hips moving to meet his mouth of their own violation.  The pressure was building within her, and his tongue was coaxing her along, fingers beckoning her.  Charley looked down at him to see that he was looking up at her, too, and as their eyes met she felt everything rush together, everything seize up and fall apart.  She threw her head back as her body convulsed, and he gentled her through every second. 

As she returned to herself, the Doctor was making his way up her body, kissing as he went.  When he saw her focus on him, he said “Back, are we?”  Her legs had gone as limp as noodles, but as he crawled up, she wrapped them around him.  “Now then, where were we?”  He pulled back and stood again, and she noticed he was still half-dressed.  He was working on that, though, peeling off his trousers and kicking off his shoes. 

Shortly she got a spectacular view of his lean, muscled body glinting in the warm lamplight.  With his trousers off, now she could see the hardness she had felt.  She felt a wave of uncertainty and averted her eyes.  “Doctor…you know that I’ve never actually done this before, right?  I don’t want to disappoint you…”

He lowered himself over her slowly, though he seemed to be placing himself carefully so he wasn’t touching her.  He moved his head until he caught her eyes.  “Shh, Charley.  There is no way you could disappoint me.  You are an amazing and exquisite person, and I love you.  I want to show it to you, my body with yours.  If you are uncomfortable, though, simply say the word and we can stop right now.  No questions asked, no hard feelings, no judgments.”

His eyes were dark with passion but his brow was creased with concern.  She reached up and caressed his face, and as he had on the dance floor, he turned and kissed her palm.  “It’s supposed to hurt, isn’t it?”

The Doctor shook his head almost scornfully.  “It may be a little uncomfortable, since it is something your body isn’t used to.  You will likely be sore tomorrow, though hopefully not too bad.  As for the act itself, I firmly believe that if it hurts, you’re doing it wrong.  I’m making every effort to do it right for you, my beloved Charley.”

Charley felt some of the anxiety go out of her.  “I love you, Doctor, and I trust you with my life.  I can certainly trust you with my body, too.”  She tugged his head down and kissed him, hard.  He tasted different now, sweeter, and she realized that must be what she tasted like herself, down there. 

As they kissed, he lowered himself the rest of the way down onto her. She gasped into his mouth at the feeling of his hardness brushing against her slick, sensitive spots.  It seemed like he had a million ways to pleasure her, which truly was just like him.  He would probably be gloating if he wasn’t so busy sucking on her bottom lip.  He levered himself up a bit.  “Are you ready, Charley?  This is the part that may feel weird.”

She took a deep breath and nodded.  “I’m ready, Doctor.”  He used his free hand to fumble around below and then his hardness was slowly entering her.  It was fuller and longer than his fingers had been, of course, and also had the added benefit of being attached to the rest of him, so as he moved forward she could feel the shift of the muscles in his thighs between her legs, in his back beneath her hands.  The other part was uncomfortable, but not unbearably so, and as he shifted a bit, she could feel even the uncomfortable part being overridden with pleasure.

His eyes were still focused on hers, and she knew he was waiting for her assent before continuing.  She nodded and arched her back, which had the unexpected effect of driving him in deeper.  Now it was his turn to close his eyes and moan.

He began to move, slowly, though she could feel the tension in his muscles under his skin.  She didn’t know if the slow pace was him attempting to be gentle, or him attempting to drive her mad.  Either way, he was succeeding.  Charley had pushed aside the discomfort and was now thoroughly enjoying the roll of his hips and the slide of his skin against hers.  The air was thick with the scent of them, sweet and musky.  She wrapped her legs around his hips tighter, trying to pull him closer to her.  Her moans were coming regularly now, each one seeming to spur the Doctor on.  As he muttered her name in her ear she could feel that delicious tension rising in her again, threatening to overwhelm her consciousness. 

 Time stopped, or time sped up, or time was meaningless anymore.  All there was in the whole of existence was her and the Doctor, interconnected, body and mind and soul.  She felt her body let go and all she could do is whimper and clutch the Doctor.  That appeared to be his signal, as shortly thereafter she felt him let go, too, stuttering out her name shuddering.  He collapsed onto her, head buried in her neck, breathing heavily.  She wrapped her arms around his head, holding him to her, as he was more precious to her now than ever. 

After several long moments, he recovered somewhat and lifted his head to look at her.  “Hello, Charley.”

She smiled at him.  “Hello, Doctor.”

He reached up a hand and swept the sweat-damp hair back from her forehead.  “Are you well?  Did you…like it?”

Charley rubbed her hands over the Doctor’s bare shoulders.  “Oh Doctor, I’m not sure there are words to quite describe how much I liked it.”

“Good.”  He was smiling in that way that made the corners of his eye crinkle so adorably, a smile she knew wasn’t the Doctor’s front, it was a smile that was reserved only for when he was truly happy. 

He shifted from her embrace and rolled onto his back, bringing her with him so she rested upon his chest.  With her head so, she could feel his hearts beat strong underneath her cheek.  He stroked her hair idly, and was quiet for some time, so long that she would have though him asleep if not for the fingers in her hair.

Finally, he gave a contented sigh.  “Mmm.  It’s been quite some time since I’ve done that with anyone.”

“Really?”

“You think I do this with all my companions?”

“Well I…we…you know, I don’t really know what I thought.  You have lived a very long time, Doctor, and travelled with many people.  You’re young-looking, and certainly attractive enough…”

“Am I now?”  Charley could feel the laugh rumbling in his chest.  “Yes, well, I haven’t always looked like this.  I’ve gotten up to my fair share of romantic adventures, but most of the people I travel with are purely friends.  Even family.”

“So…this…doesn’t happen often…”

“Hardly at all.  It takes a very special person for me to…expose myself that much.  Which I have, you know?”

“I know, Doctor.”  She ran a hand down his chest, admiring the firm muscle beneath his smooth skin.  “Things are going to be different now, aren’t they?”

“Yes, I believe so Charley.  There are certainly some for which the act of love can be casual, and that’s perfectly fine, but that’s not me.  I rather think that it’s not you, either, though don’t feel you need to rush to any sort of conclusion on that.  What I’m trying to say is, yes, what we’ve done here tonight has changed us both, so things will naturally be different.”

Charley shifted so she could pillow her chin on a hand on the Doctor’s chest.  “My Doctor.  So wise in the ways of love.”

He smiled at her.  “Forgive me, I forget how philosophical I can get after lovemaking.  Come here.”  He tugged her up to him and kissed her.  “Sleep now, Charley. The rest we’ll see to in the morning.” 

“Yes, Doctor.”  The Doctor started to move and Charley expected him to leave her to sleep.  Instead he grabbed the blankets from the floor, where they had fallen during the night’s activities, and pulled them up over them.  He tugged her back into place in his arms, and she returned her head to his chest, an arm draped over his stomach, and tried to quiet her mind—and heart—enough for rest.  One of his arms was a comforting weight on her back, and his fingers lightly stroking her shoulder lulled her to sleep.

 

 


End file.
